Golden Queen Mining Begins Commissioning of Processing Facility

Golden Queen Mining (TSX:GQM) reported that commissioning activities have commenced at the processing facility at its Soledad Mountain gold-silver project. Construction activities are proceeding on schedule, with the first gold pour anticipated to take place in February.
As quoted in the press release:

• Project construction has reached the 95% completion mark.
• Commissioning of the Crushing-Screening plant commenced in November and continued through early December.
• Commissioning of the Conveying-Stacking system commenced in early December.
• Full power was provided to the project on December 4^th.
• Pad loading of agglomerated ore was initiated on December 15^th.
• The Merrill-Crowe facility commissioning is anticipated to commence in mid-January.
• Ore stockpiling is ongoing.
• Leaching is anticipated to commence in mid-January with first gold production targeted for early February 2016.
• There are now 91 full-time employees in Mojave and all of the senior management positions have been filled.
• Construction is tracking in-line with the budget.

Golden Queen Chairman and interim CEO, Thomas Clay, said:

We have almost completed construction, and I am proud of the progress that our team has made over the past 24 months.  I would like to thank all of our employees and contractors for their dedication and commitment.  The first gold pour is expected to occur in February and will signify a new chapter in Golden Queen’s long history as we transition from development to production.

Click here for the full press release.